1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fishing equipment, particularly to hooks and lures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cheese hooks are popular among fishermen for catching trout and other fish. This device consists of a treble hook with a spring surrounding its shank portion. To use the cheese hook, cheese or trout bait is smeared onto the spring and over the treble hook. Cheese hooks have been found to lose their effectiveness if the hook and spring are not entirely covered.
A known trout bait for use with cheese hooks is BERKELY (TM) POWER BAIT (TM) Trout Bait Fishing Formula, Catalog No. BTBC2, U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,277. According to the label, this product is made from 92% biodegradable, 8% non-bio-degradable micro-spheres formed from naturally occurring silica. Other trout baits are possible.
The cheese hook is fished on the bottom of a lake or stream. The cheese or trout bait is often bumped off of the cheese hook by rocks, weeds, and other objects on the bottom of the lake or stream. When this occurs, the cheese hook loses its effectiveness because the hook and spring are no longer entirely covered.
The fisherman must be alert to when the fish hits the cheese hook, because the fisherman must then pull on the line hard enough for the hooks to work their way outward through the cheese or trout bait and into the fish's mouth or belly. Many times, a fish will notice the hook through the cheese or trout bait before it has had a chance to penetrate the cheese or trout bait, at which time the fish will drop the hook or spit it out.
Cheese hooks are not particularly appropriate for trolling, because of the various surface objects which can bump the cheese hook, causing the cheese or trout bait to fall off.
What is needed is a hook and lure which works effectively when only the spring is coated, to ensure quicker and surer penetration of the hook into the fish. Such a device should be more able to retain the cheese or trout bait thereon when it is bumped, even when the device is trolled. Trolling will increase the effectiveness of the device, because fish will be attracted not only to the color and smell of the cheese or trout bait, but also to the movement of the device through the water.